The Changing Realm of Latin Jazz

Jazz - When a lot of people think about Latin Jazz, a salsa dance party one thinks of, with hot dance rhythms charging behind jazz harmonies and improvised solos. This is really one aspect with this style - musicians like Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Cal Tjader, and Ray Barretto have gotten people around the oasis for years with jazz and Cuban rhythms.

Dance rhythms certainly hold a location in modern Latin Jazz, however a growing variety of artists have abandoned the dance floor for several cultural and artistic influences. These days, many Latin Jazz musicians integrate rhythmic traditions from a broader spectrum with the Caribbean and South usa, often blending cultural elements with modern jazz influences.

Herb Alpert - Traditional Afro-Peruvian rhythms have played a large part within the increase of Latin Jazz, bringing rhythmic styles just like the festejo and landó into the style also an even more guitar heavy approach. Guitarist Richie Zellon has combined these traditions with jazz harmonies extensively while trumpet player Gabriel Alegria is promoting a unique approach with his Afro-Peruvian Sextet.

While stateside Latin Jazz always carried a Puerto Rican influence, it's got only recently been that artists have convey a distinct emphasis upon the idea of traditional rhythms like bomba and plena supporting jazz contexts. Trombonist Papo Vazquez has utilized his ferocious command of bebop over Puerto Rican rhythms while saxophonist Miguel Zenón has dived deep into plena and classic Puerto Rican songs like a foundation for jazz.

Argentina happens to be noted for it's passionate tango, and many musicians have found this music is really a natural fit for jazz. Bassist Pablo Aslan has built a distinct language for improvising around tango structures while pianist Pablo Ziegler has continued the job of influential composer Astor Piazzolla with a distinct jazz twist.

Listeners often think about the lush bossa novas of Antonio Carlos Jobim when they think about the combination of Brazilian rhythms and jazz, nevertheless the style is continuing to grow into something much more dynamic. Pianist Jovino Santos Neto has built upon his long tenure with composer Hermeto Pascoal and developed a highly creative repertoire of original Brazilian jazz while drummer Duduka Da Fonseca has blended the freedom behind a fresh York jazz sensibility with dynamic samba rhythms.

Carnegie Hall - The oasis is unquestionably still part of Latin Jazz - just hear the background music of Poncho Sanchez or Pete Escovedo for any healthy dose of danceable jazz. The design has certainly expanded artistically, reflecting a far more encompassing spectrum of Latin traditions and giving listeners a more diverse experience.